Farhad Aghili

About

Farhad Aghili is a distinguished robotics and control systems researcher whose work spans space robotics, autonomous navigation, motor control, and robotic manipulation. He is perhaps best known for his foundational contributions to on-orbit robotic systems, including a widely cited survey on robotic manipulation and capture in space (199 citations) and pioneering work on visually guided capture of tumbling free-floating objects using predictive motion-planning algorithms (196 citations). These contributions have significantly advanced the field of satellite servicing and orbital debris removal. Aghili has also made substantial impact in robust navigation, developing sensor fusion frameworks that integrate ICP, adaptive Kalman filtering, laser scanners, and IMUs for reliable six-degree-of-freedom relative navigation (121 citations), as well as GPS-IMU integration for driftless attitude estimation in mobile robots (104 citations). His research extends into adaptive multi-robot coordination for geometrically uncertain environments, fault-tolerant motor control for BLDC machines, optimal control of permanent magnet synchronous motors, and innovative mechanical design, including a hollow hexaform torque sensor and reconfigurable robotic architectures. With over 880 cumulative citations across his top works, Aghili's research profoundly bridges theoretical rigor and practical aerospace and robotic engineering applications.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Robotic Manipulation and Capture in Space: A Survey

   199 citations · 2021
2. 2
   A Prediction and Motion-Planning Scheme for Visually Guided Robotic Capturing of Free-Floating Tumbling Objects With Uncertain Dynamics

   196 citations · 2012
3. 3
   Robust Relative Navigation by Integration of ICP and Adaptive Kalman Filter Using Laser Scanner and IMU

   121 citations · 2016
4. 4
   Driftless 3-D Attitude Determination and Positioning of Mobile Robots By Integration of IMU With Two RTK GPSs

   104 citations · 2011
5. 5
   Adaptive force-motion control of coordinated robots interacting with geometrically unknown environments

   100 citations · 2005
6. 6
   Coordination control of a free-flying manipulator and its base attitude to capture and detumble a noncooperative satellite

   79 citations · 2009
7. 7
   Fault-Tolerant Torque Control of BLDC Motors

   76 citations · 2010
8. 8
   A Reconfigurable Robot With Lockable Cylindrical Joints

   74 citations · 2009
9. 9
   Optimal Feedback Linearization Control of Interior PM Synchronous Motors Subject to Time-Varying Operation Conditions Minimizing Power Loss

   68 citations · 2017
10. 10
    Design of a Hollow Hexaform Torque Sensor for Robot Joints

    65 citations · 2001

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links